Forbidden
by BlackStarDragon
Summary: In the year 2150, another race of humans walk the earth. They are called Animus, humans with animal genes. Rejected by humans, Animus suffer in a segregated world. One rule, humans and Animus must NEVER fall in love. It is forbidden. CHAPTER 4 REDONE!
1. Prolouge

          The year is 2154.  Fifty years ago the government spent millions of dollars on a top secret project called 'Animus'.  The goal was to create an advanced form of human infused with the genes of animals.  The governments, tired of losing valuable lives in war, were going to use the Animus as soldiers in place of normal humans.

            The Animus were created using similar technology that they used on the colonies for creating test tube children.  When the fetus was a few weeks old, it was injected with altered DNA that contained animal genes and caused the original DNA to mutate to the altered DNA's shape.  The scientists used three different animals in their experiments each with a different purpose.  There the black panther, used for strength and fighting instinct, the red fox for cunning and stealth and the rabbit for its speed and small size.

            After years of experimentation, the project was labeled a failure due to lack of funds and useless results.  The Animus were all slaughtered, but a few escaped into the outside world.  They proceeded to breed and a small population of Animus began to populate the world and eventually the space colonies.  But, due to the harsh conditions in space, the Animus could not survive in the colonies.  

            The Animus resulting from the project were relatively no different from humans, with a few differences.  Animus took on a few physical qualities of their root animals.  The panthers had catlike ears instead of normal ones, long tail and cat-like eyes.  They were much more muscled and a bit taller that humans.  The fox too had the ears, tail, and eyes of its animal and were a bit smaller in build and fast learners.  The rabbit adapted the same physical qualities and was much smaller than any Animus or human, they had heavily muscled legs which made them fast runners.  The Animus also took on a slight difference in diet, which slightly reflected their root animal.

            Eventually, the government was forced to release the information on project Animus.  Once word got out, the Animus were completely rejected by human society.  They were forced to live in the poorest parts of town.  They had to attend different schools, use different businesses, and they were not aloud any of the rights humans had, and disobeying a human was punishable by death.  Breaking any of these laws resulted in severe punishment.  But, the one law held above all others in both human and Animus worlds, was the law forbidding any of either race to fall in love with a member of the other.


	2. Pawns

I snuck around the alley, waiting for the guy to leave his car.  Not that it was a very god car to start out with; there is nothing good in the Animus district of Tokyo anyway.  He left and entered some beat up building.  I waited about five minutes, when he didn't come out, I approached the car.  

I looked it over, not to bad, the color was horrible, but it could get me where I needed to go.  Taking out a set of lock picks, I set to work.  Being part fox can sometimes come in handy, not that makes up for all the misery it's caused me.

In case you haven't guessed, I'm a red fox Animus, a Kitsu.  My name is Duo.  Just plain Duo, by law I'm not allowed to have a last name.  I've been living in Tokyo's Animus my whole life; my parents told me that I was born in America, not that that really does much for me.  My parents died anyway, beaten to death.  Heh, I guess it sounds like my life shits.  Oh well, least I'm alive, that's one thing to be happy about.

So anyways, I was picking the lock to the car, completely focused on it.  That's where I screwed up.  Some guys snuck up behind me, and grabbed me.  I struggled and kicked trying to get away.  Some use that was.  One of them hit me in the back of the head with something, and it all went dark.

I moaned and rolled over, my head was killing me.

"Hey, he's waking up.  Quick tighten up his restraints." some voice said, it sounded far away and close at the same time.

My eyes flickered open.  I felt groggy, and everything was blurry.  Suddenly, someone tightened something around my ankles and wrists.  

_"So that's what they meant by restraints.  Dammit, where the hell am I?"_ I thought to myself.

Things began to clear up, and I got a vague idea of where I was.  

_"Oh shit.  Shit, shit, shit."_

I was in a large warehouse type building.  Everything was made of steel, the walls, the floor, the ceiling.  It was like a steel box.  Cages were lined up and stacked on top of one another.  Most of them held an Animus. 

I was tied up in back with two humans on either side of me.  

_"Guess I'm the new arrival.  Yippee…"_

"You're up.  Now get your ass off the floor and follow us you dirty Kitsu." One of the men said.

"Aww now that's not very nice, the least you could do is offer me some food." I told him, smirking.

My response was a punch to the gut.  I always was a smart aleck, God knows I wish I wasn't, but I am.  Reluctantly I got up and followed the men to an empty cage to which I was rudely shoved in.  Of all the places I could've been brought to, it had to be an underground slave ring.

True, Animus don't have nearly the same rights as humans.  Hell we aren't even given the right to exist.  But no one in any government is allowed to be kept as a slave, not even Animus.  Just shows you how much we're hated around here.  There is a whole black market that sells Animus for various reasons.  Mostly as slaves and pets to rich people that have nothing better to do.  There are even rumors that some people by whole groups of Animus and let them go in a privately owned forest just to shoot them, their own personal game.  It's sick.

I slumped against the back of the cage and waited.  

_"I wonder what they'll do.  Auction me off maybe?  Or maybe they'll sell me to some sweatshop in __Russia__ or something."_

My thoughts were interrupted by the Animus in the next cage over.

"Hey you, Kitsu!"

I turned my head.

"It's Duo." I said.

The Animus smiled.  She was a pretty Usigi, or rabbit Animus.  She had pure white ears and short blue hair, a prime candidate for some old rich man's new toy.

She smiled.

"Hiya Duo!  My name's Hilde!  How did you get here?" she asked.

"Heh, they snuck up on me while I was trying to steal a car.  You?"

Hilde laughed.

"Me and my gang broke into some human women's house, I got stuck climbing out of a window and they caught me."

I nodded.

Hilde and I talked all night long and became good friends over the days we spent in that warehouse.  Neither of us seemed afraid.  But I guess we were just trying to convince ourselves that everything would be fine and that maybe we would be released soon.  I'll tell ya, it's amazing what you can talk yourself into.

Some loud rumbling noise woke me up. 

"Huh? What's that?"

"Duo!  Duo get up!  Hurry!" Hilde's voice commanded me.

I slowly sat up, yawning.

"What is it Hilde?  I was in the middle of a great dream.  I was eating real food, not that crap they feed us here."

"Duo they're moving us!  We're being shipped out!  To an auction!  Duo I'm scared, what's gonna happen."

That woke me up. 

I turned to Hilde.

"Calm down Hilde.  We're being sold, that's all.  With luck you'll be sold to a nice loving family, or maybe we'll get sold to the same family.  Don't worry, you'll be okay."

Okay so I was lying. What was I supposed to do?  Tell her that she might become a slave to an abusive human family, or maybe be shot and put on display like some type of trophy?  Hell no.

Hilde nodded slowly.  She didn't believe me of course, she knew the hard truth just like I did, but she did seem to calm down a little.

All of us were loaded on to the backs of some semi trucks.  They were no windows, some we had no idea where they were taking us.  All we knew is that we were driving to some auction somewhere, and probably were not gonna see each other again.

After driving for hours, the door opened and florescent light flooded the area.  We were unloaded, then removed from our cages.  They chained our wrists and necks then spilt up by race and gender.  

At one point a small Feilios, panther, boy tried to escape.  One of the guards pulled out a hand gun and shot him.  That pretty much dashed all my plans for escaping, I didn't care for the feeling of lead in my chest.

Three hours of standing and they rushed us out to the stage.  The crowd was huge.  There were hundreds of people all watching us turn and be showed off.  The manager started with the females Usigis first.  I sadly watched Hilde get sold off to some old man in the back for $20,000.

They finished off the females; those who weren't sold were pulled off stage with some men who held machine guns.  I shivered and prayed that I got sold instead.  Next thing I knew, I was shoved to the center of the stage.

"Next up we have a nice, male Kitsu.  He's fast folks, good for races.  Now, I'll start the bidding at $5,000." the manager said.

And it was off.  First a woman to the mid-right, then some big muscled guy in the front.  I got dizzy and gave up watching who was bidding for me, but I had to admit, I was quite flattered by the price.  They were up to $55,500.  I surveyed the crowd, mostly rich men.  Creepy ones too.  I got a few lustful looks and whistles.

Then someone in the crowd caught my eye.  A slender man in the front with messy brown hair stared at me.  Not like some of the others were staring at me, this guy had cold, deep, emotionless eyes.  He was looking me over, that I could tell, but he didn't act drunk or horny so he didn't bother me that much.  But his eyes sent chills up my spine and I tore my eyes away from him.

"Sold for $62,000!  Here's your new Animus sir!" the manager called out happily.  You can't really blame him; he did just get $62,000.  So what if it was at the cost of another's freedom.

I didn't even know who I was being sold too.  One of those guards shoved me forward and down some steps to this tall guy who took me by the arm, put a large stack of bills in the guards hand and dragged me away.

My new owner roughly dragged me out of the auction room and into one behind it.  He dropped my arm, and held my chains instead.  He looked me over.

"Hmm.  The manager was right, you are a nice one." he said softly.

My ears bent back in anger.

"I'm not lying on my back for you if that's what you're thinking." I growled.

The man laughed.

"Of course you're not.  You're fighting in Black Spade's Animus games." he said.

I cocked my head to the side.

"I'm what?"

"Black Spade is a millionaires club in Tokyo.  The members buy Animus and train them to fight each other in the games.  The Animus that wins the competition walks away free; and the former owner wins a million dollars, its simple enough." 

"What happens to the ones that lose?"

He smirked.

"Some disappear, some keep fighting."

_"So losing isn't an option huh?"_

I looked him in the eyes.

"May I know the name of the man I'm wining this competition for?"

"My name is Solo."

"Pleasure to work for you, my name is Duo."

Solo punched my jaw and I hit the wall.

"I don't care what your name is Kitsu.  All I need to know is that your fighting for me, and you'll win.  Now get up and follow me."

_"Oh yeah, this is the beginning of a long, long friendship."_

To be continued…

*Disclaimer*

I have a bad habit of not writing disclaimers, so, this is the disclaimer for the prologue and chapter one.  I do not, no matter how much I wish, own Gundam Wing.  And I'm not responsible for any harm that may occur to Relena or Solo in this fic. Heh, plus this is yaoi, I swear.  Nothing is going to happen between Duo and Hilde. Promise.

-BlackStar


	3. First Move

"Do it again Kitsu."

_I've done it twenty times just this morning."_

I stood up, out of breath and sweaty.  Man this training stuff was hard work.  Almost as bad as the streets, except at least here I got food and a semi-decent place to sleep.

I was learning to fight using a double edged sword and some minor hand-to-hand combat for when things got desperate.  My first Black Spade match was in two weeks.  No pressure.

I went through the exercise again.

Suddenly I get dizzy and have to sit down.

"What the hell are you doing?" Solo asks me.

"I'm taking a break.  I've been at this all morning." I snap at him.  Me and my big mouth.

Solo's face turned a strange shade of red as he started beating me for snapping at him.

Over the next two weeks, my training became more intense and my mouth became less wise.  Insults didn't fly out of it as often, which meant fewer beatings for me.  

The day of the match arrived, and what do I do?  Get shoved into the back of some white van and shipped of to Black Spade like some type of merchandise.  Hell I practically am.

I closed my eyes, going over each move in my head.  I had to win Black Spade, anything to get my freedom back.

The back door opened.

"We're here.  Get out." Solo barks at me.

He's always so damn short with me, it's annoying.

I silently climb out.  I had a hunch that Solo wouldn't beat me right before a match, but he wasn't the brightest human in the world, so I don't take my chances.

Solo lead me around the building.

"Alright Kitsu, I got a lot of money running on you, so don't screw this up."

Thanks for the encouragement man.

He put me in some large room and told me to wait.  God the tension was thick.

~Balcony Over the Arena~

Young millionaire, Quatre Raberba Winner, waited for his friend at a table above the arena with his pet Feilios, Trowa.  Quatre's other friend, Treize, waited too with his own Feilios, Wu Fei.

"He's late." Treize said.

Quatre nodded.

"It's not like him." he said.

Treize looked over the arena.

"Who does he have his eye on this time?"

"Solo's new Kitsu."

Treize sighed and shook his head.

A young man with chocolate brown hair and cold blue eyes took a seat at the table.

Quatre smirked.

"Ah, Heero you're here."

"Finally." Treize added.

Heero nodded slightly and took his seat.  His eyes scanned the arena.

"So. Heero, tell us about this new Animus you're looking at." said Treize.

"Solo's new Kitsu.  He's small but fast.  I've arranged for him to go against Zech's Feilios in the first round."

Treize and Quatre stared.

"But Heero…Zech's Feilios is the second strongest Animus in the tournament, you'll kill him." Treize said in disbelief.

"Oh Heero, why must you test them like this?  Just buy them at the market like everyone else." Quatre said.

Heero continued searching the arena.

"First they must prove their worth.  Unlike you two, I think of Animus as servants and workers, not lovers."

Trowa and Wu Fei tensed, glaring slightly, but saying nothing.

"Shhh!" hissed Quatre, "Do you want us to be killed?  For God's sake Heero, keep it down."

Heero smirked.

"Don't worry about it Quatre.  Almost every member in this club sleeps with their Animus, not just the two of you.  And the government won't do a thing about it, because they're afraid to challenge us.  We have more power than they do."

Quatre glared.

"At least we treat them with some respect." he whispered harshly as the lights dimmed.

~The Arena~

I had been waiting for what seemed like eternity, but in reality was 15 minutes.

Suddenly someone shoved a sword into my hands and pushed me into the arena.

The lights lit up around me and everything was quiet.

"To start things off!  Match one!  Zech's Feilios against newcomer Solo's Kitsu!  Odds are 1 out of 100 for this little Kitsu!  No very good for Solo." The announcer went on saying some statistics that made my confidence plummet.

The door at the end of the arena opened.  A large, well muscled Feilios, a good foot taller than me came stalked in carrying a large battle ax.

_"Holy shit!  He's twice my size!"_

Panicking, my eyes darted in every direction, looking for an escape.  Something caught my eyes in the balcony above.  A young man with cold eyes…

_"It's him!  That guy from the auction!  What the hell is he doing here?"_

A large, swinging metal object interrupted my thoughts.

The Feilios charged, I jumped back.

He charged again and I ducked, barley missing the ax.

This continued for a while, he charged, I dodged.  I was hoping to wear him down, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

His ax slammed into the arena wall right as I jumped up.  The Feilios pulled, trying to free his weapon.

_"Ha! This is just the opening I need!"_

I took a good swing at his side.  A large gash came from where my sword hit.  My opponent howled, then got his ax free.  He jumped on me, and nailed me to the floor.

"Oh no!  Looks like the Kitsu has been pinned!  This really is not going well for the newcomer." The announcer says with mock enthusiasm.  Then I heard the last thing I expected.  Laughter.  They thought my situation was funny.  I'm about to be hacked into a million pieces and they find it amusing.

I struggled to get an arm free, but the Feilios had both my arms pinned down.  He lifted his ax and it slammed into my shoulder.  I screamed.  I looked over, if my arm was gone, there was no way I could win.  

It was my lucky day, half of the as had missed, producing only an ugly rip in my left shoulder.

I struggled more, dodging another blow to the head by a hair.  I swung my legs up, and hit him in the back of the head, slightly throwing him off.  In that time I freed my good arm and took a nasty swipe at his chest.

He rolled off me and jumped back up, charging again.  I ducked and held out my sword.  I didn't hear a scream that time.  The Feilios rolled off my blade and hit the ground with a bloody thunk.  

Cheers from above erupted.  I had won.  I had just killed someone, but I had one. I stared at the dead Feilios.

_"I'm sorry…"_

Something compelled me to look up.  The man with cold eyes was looking right at me, slightly smiling.  We stared at each other for a bit, then I broke eye contact and headed back inside.

"Amazing! Simply amazing Duo!" Solo tells me.

_"Now you choose to use my name.  After I make you rich."_

He claps me on the shoulder, my bad one.

I wince, but it goes unnoticed.

"That Feilios was the second best in the tournament.  Ha, I knew you were a winner all along."

I stare at the floor, still ashamed of what I had done.  But it was him or me.  I found myself wondering if dying would have been a better option.

"Excuse me, are you Solo?" a voice asks.

I look up.  I can't believe my eyes.  It was the man with the eyes, beautiful eyes too.

"Yeah, I'm him.  What's it to ya?" Solo asks.

The man extends his hand.

"My name is Heero Yuy.  I'm interested in that new Kitsu of yours." he says quietly.

Solo laughed.

"You ain't gettin' him.  He's my ticket to the million bucks for winning this damn tournament."

"What if I offer you more?"

"More?"

Heero nods.

"How much we talking'?" asks Solo, interested.

"I'll double the prize money.  Two million for the Kitsu."

Solo looks like he is having a heart attack.

"Two million?"

Heero nods again.

Solo shook Heero's hand vigorously. 

"Sir you gotta deal!"

Heero gives a small, business-like smile.

"I'm glad we understand each other."

He looks at me coldly.

"Come with me."

I get up.  Heero is even shorter with me than Solo is.

We walk out of the building to Heero's limo.  Heero gets in.  I stood there, unsure of what to do.

Heero looks at me, annoyed.

"Get in."

Hesitantly, I take a seat in the back, amazed at how comfortable the car was.

"Listen Kitsu, you're working for me now.  I expect you to do good work, if not there are severe consequences."

I cut him off.  

"My name is Duo."

Heero gave me a blank stare.

"I don't give a shit about the work you're gonna make me do.  But I have a name.  It's Duo. Got it?"

I readied myself for another beating, surely this guy was just like Solo.

"You're shoulder is still bleeding.  We'll have to fix that." He says quietly.

To Be Continued…

~*Author's Notes:*~

Hi!  I'm sorry for hurting precious, sweet, Duo!! Please don't hurt me!! I'm sorry, I didn't want to do it!! Err…well, I didn't mean to make it seem so mean.  Things will get better!  This is a 1x2 story!!  It'll get better!!  Oh yeah, and sorry for making solo an asshole, but I was too lazy to make up some random character.  Chances are I would name him Bob, and that's just too lame.  Anyways, see ya next chapter!  Review too! Byes!


	4. Hints of Confusion

It had been three weeks since that awkward moment in Heero's limo.  I'd expected him to be like every other human, but he wasn't.  He was even more twisted.  In the limo he actually took care of me, and treated me like I was almost equal to him.  But the moment we stepped into the factory where I was to work, all of that changed.  It's like someone took a vacuum to his head and sucked out all of his emotions.  He was using his short speech again, he started calling me Kitsu, and his eyes were so empty.  

So I've worked it out to this, in the company of others, workers, friends, etc. I am scum, but when we are alone, I am Duo, equal to humans.

I stand here, contemplating all this at my station in Heero's car factory.

_"What on earth is with that man?"_

I sighed and continued my daily job of inspecting windshields.  When they tell you assembly lines are dull, they mean it.

"Hey, Duo!" someone calls out to me.

I turn around and see G, a manager at the factory and fellow Kitsu.

"Yeah G?"

"Mr. Yuy wants to see you.  What did you do this time?"

I grin.

"Nothing.  Just stole a few parts, made a few escape attempts." I rattle off my numerous misdeeds.

G shakes his head.

"How you've survived this long is beyond me."

I shrug and bound up the stairs to Heero's office, wondering if I'd survive _this_ time.

"Duo." Heero says in monotonous greeting as I enter.

I nod slightly. Rule no. 1; do not speak unless spoken too.

I notice Heero doesn't make eye contact.  Rule no. 2; don't expect emotional or social response, it is against Heero's nature to have feelings.

I shift uneasily, wondering why I'm here.

I clear my throat.

"Ahem."

Heero's blue eyes snap up to look at me, hitting me with a shiver of coldness.

_"What is it with this man and his eyes?  Why do they always have this affect on me?"_

He acknowledges my staring.

"Yes?" he says.

I tense up, feeling stupid and even a bit afraid.

"You, um…you called for me sir?"

Heero stood up, walking towards me.

"I've noticed Duo, that you don't seem too happy with your current job.  You have a lot of excess energy; my guess is that you find doing the same task over and over extremely boring.  Is this true?" 

I hesitate.  If I say yes, he might punish me, but if I say yes, maybe he'll give me something more exciting to do, but what if it's dangerous?

He demands an answer just by looking at me, with those eyes that I can hardly stand.  I give in.

"Yes, it is true sir."

"Thought so."  Duo, what if I reentered you in the Black Spade games, to give you something to do?  Would you like that?" he asks.

_"With a choice between getting hacked into tiny pieces or risk boring myself to death, what would common sense say?"_

"Yes sir, I would." I answer.

The thing about common sense is that you need some before you can use it.

Self doubt and fear cut it.

"Um Heero?"

He looks at me again, I'm amazed at his ability to substitute looks for words.  I continue on.

"What if I can't make it?  What if I lose or I get killed?"

I feel stupid asking these questions, but part of me hopes for sympathy.

I feel a hand lift my face.

"You won't die.  You won't lose."

I look up at him.

"How are you so sure?"

"I won't let you lose Duo, I believe in you."

He leans in close to me.  My face gets hot and my heart rate increases.  I want him closer, but at the same time I want him far away, because I know I'm walking a forbidden line.

Something suddenly changes in Heero's face and he quickly pulls away. He looks disgusted with something.

He sits back down at his desk and without looking at me he says, "I'll arrange for you to be re-entered into the Games.  That is all Kitsu, you may go now."

I leave more confused and worried than when I had come in.

~Heero's Office, After Duo's Left~

Heero sat at his office, unsure of his thoughts, even more unsure of his actions.

_"What the hell is wrong with me?  Treating him like that!  Like I care about him.  Dammit!  I was this close to crossing a forbidden line.  But his face, his beautiful face…"_

He slammed his fist on the hard wood.

"This is ridiculous."

~~~~~~~

As the day comes to an end two young men are left confused by their own thoughts and feelings, but very much in love.  But in this world, even love has its limits.

~*Author's Notes:*~

Sorry for the incredibly lame chapter ending and short chapter in general.  Dramas are harder than they look!!!! Anywho, if anyone cares, I have about three more fics that will be starting up and one that will be ending within two chapters or so.  It's been great ppl.  Feed back is always nice, especially when I don't know how good the story is, because this one, I'm very unsure of, but if you like it, guess I'll continue it. ^   ^ Ja ne!

-BlackStar


	5. Please Hold

**Story Has Been Placed on Current Hold.**

**Gomen….**

I'm sorry to put Forbidden on hold, but I have a lot going on around here and many stories to write. And since my inspiration for this one rarely comes along, I thought it best to pause it for a while until I get some more free time. I believe in posting an actual good chapter when ever the urge to write comes along, not just updating every few weeks or so just to update. Again, very sorry. I'm sure it'll be up and running again as soon as summer and finals are over.

-Always BSD


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